Please note that I'm not explaining how to fix a preexisting damaged console. This is solely prevention. I'm not responsible for any damage you may cause to your console. Be aware that by doing this to your PS3 you're voiding your warranty which may cover a future repair of the console for a reason such as "YLOD."

Ah, yes! It's that time of year again. Time for the "YLOD" to destroy your much cherished console containing all of your save games and game data which you all worked so hard for but are now facing a challenge. I'm guessing this is how it earned such a welcoming nickname. I'm hoping you all find this a useful future reference for understanding "YLOD" so you can take steps against it.

Did you know that there is something very simple you can do to prevent this from happening to you? Probably not. If your like everyone else you think it's a random isolated event. True fact is that it's mostly avoidable. I'm going to provide you with a tutorial and tips on how you can delay or even completely prevent the "YLOD."

Well, to put this into Layman's Terms for you, the "YLOD" is a malfunction in internal essential hardware that is needed to function. This could be anything from a faulty hard drive, a broken capacitor, shorted power supplies, or even loose contacts between internal components. Most of the time, though, it is due to loose contacts inside of the PS3 such as the GPU, which is what I'm going to cover for you today.

Because the "YLOD" is usually due to loose contacts between the mother board and the CPU, we can take steps to stop the contacts from loosening in the first place. They become loose due to overheating and prolonged use unless you cause other physical damage like dropping it. That can't be necessarily avoided except for not putting it in a situation where it will be dropped.

Well then that leads us to primarily preventing overheating. I'm going to walk you through and explain how to prevent the overheating from loosening contacts.

One of the biggest issues with an overheated PS3 is the fact that it isn't placed right. If the PS3 is improperly placed and used for extended periods of time, then this behavior could lead directly to the "YLOD" with out warning. This placement is relative to the vents on your PS3. Here is what you need to follow when placing your PS3.

Do not block any Vents. To maintain good ventilation, follow the guidelines below:

-Place the PS3 system at least 10 cm away from wall surfaces.
-Do not place it on any insulating materials such as a carpet.
-Do not place the system in a confined, narrow, or cramped space.
-Do not cover it with insulating materials such as a towel.
-Do not allow dust to build up on the vents.
-Do not block air movement around the system.
-Do not allow the system to sit in high humidity areas.
-Keep the PS3 within the operating temperatures.

So let me elaborate on these simple guidelines... The first thing you need to do is remember to always keep your PS3 clean and free of flammable, clogging dust around the vents and ports. See the below section for more information about cleaning. Other then that you need to really think about where your PS3 is. Make sure that if it's in a cabinet or media center, it has adequate ventilation for heat swap to occur. It's best to avoid putting it in cabinets all together and to leave it out where it can properly cycle air. Make sure there is plenty of room between your console's vents and other surfaces. If your PS3 cannot bring in air to lower the temperature generated by internal components, then it may overheat and go out of safe operating temperatures.

Even if your console is placed and used correctly, you could still have dusty, clogged ports and vents. Every so often your PS3 must be cleaned. I personally clean mine around every 3 to 4 months with moderate use.

When cleaning be sure to disconnect the AC power cord for safety. All of the exterior surfaces should be regularly wiped down with a soft, damp cloth. I've all ways used a water-dampened micro-fiber cloth to clean the exterior. Make sure to never use any chemicals on the surfaces. Water is fine. When you're ready to clean the vents or interior components you should only use compressed air and low powered vacuum suction. If dust builds up around the front and back vents you should use the vacuum to gently remove the build up. Using compressed air from the outside would force the dust into the system causing future problems and a high risk of fire.

If you feel the need to modify your PS3 to help prevent "YLOD" then feel free to at your own risk. The types of mods available range from simple fans to more elaborate over kill water coolers. The most common mods are that of the fan, heat sinks, and connections. These are fairly simple to do and are quite helpful if you know what your doing.

Let me begin with covering the fan modifications. There are two main; easy and hard. The easy would be attaching an external fan to the outside of the vents to power air through it. These are not always the best best choice but do in fact preform their job well. Although the external fans work relatively well they can cause other damage such as cosmetic. Be aware that they are very noise which is why I don't use them. The other type of fan modification is to replace the internal fan with a "better" one. There are more powerful fans on the market which are compatible with the PS3's preexistent connectors and power supplies.

One of the best choices is to get a better heat sink. The problem is that they can be very expensive. The stock heat sink that comes with the PS3 is a lightweight aluminum alloy. These are not very good but aluminum is lightweight and cheap which cuts down on costs in manufacturing the console. From Sony's perspective, the stock heat sink is effective and worth the chance. I will go into more detail about the heat sink. If you are confused about heat sinks, feel free to pause and Google it. The heat sink is the connector that is attached to the CPU and other components which absorbs and moves heat to a fan where it can be expelled out a vent. Copper heat sinks are the best because of copper's ability to conduct so well. They can be bought off of modification sites such as Xoxide.

Then there is also mods involving the connections which I have performed first hand. This is by far the most important and definitely the most useful modification out there. I've done it myself to my own PS3 which has helped a lot. This involves replacing the thermal paste with a better one. If you have ever built a computer before, particularly a gaming computer, then you know how important this is. The thermal paste is what creates an air tight seal between the heat sink and the component such as the CPU. This ensures all of the heat is passed on. Unfortunately, the thermal paste already on it is sure shit. It's a silicone based paste which isn't spread out, plentiful, or moist. Replacing this can honestly save your PS3 even though it is a more advanced procedure that isn't really easy. Ceramic and metal based thermal paste are the best and preform well. I've cleaned the old paste off of my PS3's CPU and replaced it with metal (silver) Arctic Silver brand paste which is by far the best in my opinion. It ensures all of the heat is moved out of the system away from the CPU where heat weakens bonds and causes "YLOD." I have created my own tutorial with pictures and text that I will be posting soon.

Should help people keep their PS3 for maybe a extra year or 2!
Thanks for this btw. :y:

I easily fixed my ylod by re-flowing the solders with a heatgun.

It's a good idea to do some of these things after about a year of use. That's what I've all ways done. None of my 5 PS3 have gotten "YLOD."